Common Excuses We Use To Save Old Or Outdated Vintage Stuff

Are You A Saver of Old Vintage Stuff? 

Do you save the winter time to organize your clutter? If the answer is is not exactly "yes",  then we are in the same club. I tell myself in the warmer months that I'll have plenty of indoor time during the winter months to straighten out

my piles of STUFF. I convince myself to save the big clean out projects for a nice snowy day.

Are You In The Mood To Visit Your Basement ?

Every now and then, I actually venture down to my basement and take a looky around and think.....I'm not in the mood today, maybe next week. And as you might imagine, weeks creep by and I'm back to Spring time and the last thing I want to do is stay indoors and clean out my basement when the weather is warm and the birds are chirping.

Common Excuses We Use To Save Old Or Outdated Vintage Stuff

I have developed a list of the common excuses we use why we do not throw out clutter that accumulates in our basment. Please feel free to add to this list.

1. You never know when you might need birthday plates with fire engines on them.

2. Graduation paper cups.....2011 can become 2014 or 2021very easily.

3. You might need children's boots in case some stray children show up at your door and want to build a snowman in your front yard.

4. In case your GPS fails you can choose one of the 768 tattered and torn maps you are saving.

5. They may call a Retro day at the beach this summer and your boom box radio will be fabulous!

6. It might be fun to have a Halloween picnic this summer and set the table with black and orange plastic forks and knives from a 1982 Halloween fest.

7. You can re-gift all the coffee mugs that your kids gave you that say Happy 40th, 50th, 60th etc. birthday. You can give them back to your kids!

8. Harvesting old jigsaw puzzle down in the basement is not such a bad idea...  you may one day find the missing pieces in your kitchen drawer,

READERS, please add to this list!!!!!!!!!!

Airplane and puzzle  photos are courtesy of House of Young http://houseofyoung.bigcartel.com/products 

Elephant image courtesy of Chock-A-Block on Etsy.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChockaBlock?ref=l2-shopheader-name

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Collage Jewelry Using Vintage Buttons and Buckles: Visiting Mitzi's Miscellany

Colorful Upcycled Craft Projects With Vintage Sewing Buttons 

I am heading to my own art studio this morning, but I came across yet another delightful post of one of my favorite blogs Mitz's Miscellany that I wanted to share with you.

Learn what Mitzi did with old buttons, buckles and jewelry findings. Read more at  http://www.mitzismiscellany.com/2014/01/collage-jewelry-with-vintage-buttons-and-buckles.html


C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

What Are You Saving In Your Office Drawer That Has Past It's Prime Time ?

Are Your Old Office Supplies Collectible Or Trash?

It is one thing to save an old typewriter because it brings back fond memories (o.k. not so fond memories of having to make corrections on term papers over and over again). But it is another thing to hold onto bags of aging rubber bands. You think you are being practical by accumulating lots of terrifc rubber bands in all sizes, but guess what, old RUBBER BANDS get brittle and fall apart!

When Was The Last Time You Cleaned Out Your Office Drawer ?

When was the last time you cleaned out your office drawer?  What exactly is still in that drawer? Highlighter markers that are dried out? Staplers without matching staples? You get the point.....there is a lot of stuff in your desk drawers that you are saving way past their expiration date.

Collecting Office Drawer Stuffers

Which brings me to my next thought. Why do we save so much stuff that we know is not really "alive" or useful anymore. O.k. I'm exaggerating a little bit, a dried out magic marker  or rubber band was never really "alive" and "now not alive",  but let's agree these office drawer stuffers are more similar to a fossil than the Philodendron sitting on your window sill. What good is a ink depleted marker or a rubberband that is ready to crumble?

I say when office drawer occupants are no longer able to perform their duties it is time for a honorable burial.  

Photos courtesy of   http://www.etsy.com/shop/kelleystreetvintage

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

Downsizing A Home To Remedy The Decorating Mistakes You Made Over A Lifetime

Downsizing Isn't What You Think It is About

I have been giving a lot of thought to the concept of "downsizing" lately. At first I considered  the topic of "downsizing" as a process where you purge a lot of your junk and eventually move into a smaller place such as a condo where someone else rakes your leaves. But I have to be honest, this whole concept of "downsizing"  is indeed more dynamic  and exciting than practical. One person's downsize is another person's upsize. And many people are really having a "lifestyle change" more than giving up space.

Downsizing And Going Larger

Recently I met a woman who "downsized" from a 5000 square foot home to a 3000 square foot condo. For her this was a significant "downsize". Another couple I bumped into last week, "downsized" by leaving a small family ranch style home to move to what is actually a larger townhouse condo.   They still called this a "downsize" because they "threw out" all their old stuff.

Downsizing To Get A Better Look 

Which brings me to another related aspect of the "downsize" matter....just how many couples I talk with who "downsize" to create a new and exciting nest. The goal is a new look and not necessarily a streamlined condo.

Downsizing To Play House Again

So basically what I am getting at, is that the whole idea of "downsizing" to a condo isn't exactly about going into smaller quarters. Even getting beyond the original plan for many to eliminate the chores of maintaining a lawn, shoveling snow etc. and gaining other conveniences. Many couples take the leap to move to a condo for other reasons such as to see new faces and have a chance to play house again one more time. Let's face it, it is fun to buy new towels,  to junk your old kitchen set for something   more stylish and  to remedy the decorating mistakes you
have made over a lifetime.
 

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists